Steam boiler



Oct. 14, 1930. c. w. E. CLARKE 1,778,379

STEAM BOILER Original Filed July 30, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 14, 1 930. w. E. CLARKE STEAM B0 I LER Original Filed July 30, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Y Z /@M @050 MA TTOR I V Patented Oct. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEAM BOILER Application filed U80, 1923, Serial No. 854,506. Renewed February 18, 1829.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which I have illustrated the preferred forms of my invention and in which Figure 1 is a 8 vertical section through a steam boiler illus trating one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective of a portion of the arrangement shown in Figure 1,

certain parts being broken away to show the circulators more clearly, and Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a modified form of my invention.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

In the illustrative embodiments, 10 and 11 indicate generallythe front and rear walls of the setting, the same, together with the side walls (not illustrated) defining a combustion chamber 12. I have illustrated my invention in connection with a boiler of the Babcock & Wilcox type, which is provided with an upper transverse steam and water drum 13 and a circulatory system communicating therewith comprising inclined water tubes 14 connected to downtake headers 15 and to uptake headers 16, the downtake headers being connected to the drum 13 by nipples 17. In the form shown the tubes comprise three separate banks 14, 14 and 14, the upper bank 14' being connected to upper sections 15 and 16" of the downtake and uptake headers, respectively, while the two banks 14" and 14 are connected to lower sections 15 and 16 of the downtake and uptake headers, respectively, the two sections of the downtake header being connected by nipples '18, while the sections of the uptake headers are connected by nipples 19. The drum 13 is at one side of the uptake headers 16 and preferably the upper end of the latter will be extended upwards so that the upper ends of the headers will be above the center of the drum 13, as illustrated. though this is not essential. The upper ends of the headers 16 are connected to the drum 13 by circulators indicated generally at 20. Instead of connecting all of the circulators 20 to the side of the headers 16, as in the ordinary practice, I direct at least a part of the circulators 20 upwardly away from the upper ends of the headers 16 and prefer ably connect the ends of the circulators to the top walls 16 of the uptake headers, as illustrated, the opposite ends of the circulators being connected to the drum 13. In the form shown, two rows of straight circulators 20 are connected to the sides of the headers 16, in the usual manner, and to the drum.

A roof member 21 is supported, at least in part, on the circulators 20 and partially defines a passage for directing furnace gases across the boiler tubes, and across the straight circulators 20*. In the form shown. a roof bafile 22 is located above the lower bank of tubes 14 and extends parallel therewith for a portion of their length, and a baflle 23 extends upwardly from the inner end of the roof 22 across the tubes. A baffle 24 extends downwardly partially across the tubes, the bafiles, together with the roof member 21, serving to direct the furnace gases from the combustion chamber 12 across the boiler tubes and through the straight circulator tubes in the manner indicated generally by the arrows.

By directing the circulators 20 upwardly away from the ends of the headers in the manner illustrated, the water and steam will enter these circulators more freely than it will enter circulators which enter the side of the header in the ordinary way, and the curved or bent circulators will offer less resistance to the flow of the water and steam by avoiding an abrupt turn at right angles at the top of the headers. The use ofthe curved or bent circulators, therefore, permits a high velocity of circulation of the combined steam and water in the uptake headers, and this feature is particularly desirable when operating a boiler at high rating where the velocity of the steam and water in passing upwards through uptake headers is high. At the same time, the use of the curved circulators allows for a free turn of the gases from the top of the first pass into the top of the second pass, and thereby decreases the drop through the boiler.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, the top walls 16 of the uptake headers 16 are inclined to the general'plane of the headers, as indicated, the tubes 20 being connected to the top walls 16 as before. In this form of my invention there is a single row of straight circulators 20 The embodiment of my invention may be widely varied. For instance, the drum 13 may be located between the uptake and downtake headers, instead of being directly over the downtake headers, as shown. While I have illustrated the invention in connection with a boiler having sectional headers, it will be understood that continuous water chambers may be used.

I claim:

1. In a steam boiler, a bank of horizontally inclined water tubes connected to uptake and downtake chambers at opposite ends,an upper transverse steam and water drum at one side of the uptake water chamber, connections between the downtake water chamber and the drum, circulators above the said bank and spaced therefrom and connecting the upper part of the uptake water chamber with the drum, some of said circulators being connected to the side of the uptake chamber and the others connected to the top thereof and curving upwardly therefrom towards the drum, with the highest point of said curved circulators near the water chamber ends of said circulators, a transverse baflie in said bank separating two transverse passes for the gases back and forth across the tubes of said bank, with the first transverse pass adjacent the uptake water chamber, a roof baffle above the curved circulators, and means to direct gases upwardly in one of said passes and downwardly in the other pass.

2. In a steam boiler, a bank of horizontally inclined water tubes connected to uptake and downtake chambers at opposite ends, an upper transverse steam and water drum at one side of the uptake Wat/er chamber, connections between the downtake water chamber and the drum. circulators above the said bank and spaced therefrom and connecting the upper part of the uptake water chamber with the drum, some of said circulators being connected to the side of the uptake chamber and the others connected to the top thereof and curving upwardly therefrom towards the drum. with the highest point of said curved circulators near the water chamber ends of said circulators, a transverse bafile in said bank separating two transverse passes for the gases back and forth across the tubes of said bank, with the first transverse pass adjacent the uptake water chamber, a roof baffle above the curved circulators and supported at least in part thereon, and means to direct gases upwardly in one of said passes and down-- wardly in the other pass. I

3. In a steam boiler, a bank ofhorizontally inclined water tubes connected to uptake and downtake chambers at opposite ends, an upper transverse steam and'water drum at One side of the uptake Water chamber, connections between the downtake water chamber and the drum, circulators above the said bank and spaced therefrom and connecting the upper part of the uptake water chamber with the drum, at least some of said circulators being connected to the top of the uptake chamber and curving upwardly therefrom towards the drum, with the highest point of said curved circulators near the water chamber ends of said circulators, a transverse baffle in said bank separating two transverse passes for the gases back and forth across the tubes of said bank, with the first transverse pass adjacent the uptake water chamber, a roof baffle above the curved circulators, and means to direct gases upwardly in one of said passes and downwardly in the other pass.

4. In a steam boiler, a bank of horizontally inclined water tubes connected to uptake and downtake chambers at opposite ends, an upper transverse steam and water drum at one side of the uptake water chamber, connections between the downtake water chamber and the drum, circulators above the said bank and spaced therefrom and connecting the upper part of the uptake water chamber with the drum. at least some of said circulators curving upwardly, a roofbafile above said' curved circulators. a baffle extending transversely of said bank beneath the highest part of said curved circulators and separating passes through which gases flow back and forth across the bank of tubes, whereby gases flowing from one pass to the othermav flow through the space between the roof bafiie and the upper edge of the transverse battle. and means to direct gases upwardly in one of said passes and downwardly in the, other pass.

5. In a steam boiler, a bank of horizontally inclined water tubes connected at opposite ends to vertically extending up-take and down-takeheaders, anuppertransverse steam and water drum at one side of the up-take headers, connections between the down-take headers and the drum. circulators above the said bank and spaced therefrom and connectins: the upper part of each up-take header with the drum, said circulators being arranged in two sets spaced apart verticallv with the lower set disposed above said bank with the upper set curved upwardlv near their ends which are connected to the uptake headers. a roof baflie above said upper curved set of circulators. a battle extending transversely of said bank beneath the circulators and separating passes through which gases flow back and forth across the bank of tubes with the first transverse pass adjacent said up-take headers, whereby gases flowing upwardly in one pass will reverse in the space above the lower set of circulators, and means to direct gases upwardly in one of said passes and downwardly in the other pass.

6. In a steam boiler, a bank of horizonv tally inclined water tubes connected at opposite ends to uptake and downtake headers, an upper transverse steam and water drum at one side of the uptake headers, connections between the downtake headers and the drum, circulators above the said bank and spaced therefrom and connecting the upper part of each up-take header with the drum, said circulators being arranged in two sets spaced a art vertically with the lower set disposed a ove said bank with the upper set curved upwardly near their ends which are connected to the up-take headers, a roof baffle above said upper set of circulators, and means causing gases to flow upwardly over the lower set of circulators and into contact with the upper set adjacent said curved part and then to reverse and flow downwardly over the lower set a second time.

CHARLES W. E. CLARKE. 

